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Year 10
Edexcel

Using rhetorical devices effectively

I can create and use effective rhetorical devices.

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New
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Year 10
Edexcel

Using rhetorical devices effectively

I can create and use effective rhetorical devices.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Rhetorical questions and statistics are the most used persuasive devices, they need to be crafted carefully.
  2. Statistics and facts need to be realistic and probable in order to add credibility to your writing.
  3. Rhetorical questions should be used sparingly and not in succession.
  4. Rhetorical questions should avoid overusing the pronoun “you”.
  5. A realistic fact or statistic can be combined with a rhetorical question to make it even more impactful.

Keywords

  • Realistic - accurate and truthful

  • Authoritative - having reliable knowledge or expertise which makes you appear trustworthy and believable

  • Probable - something that is likely or true, based on available evidence

  • Plausible - something that seems reasonable or believable

  • Credibility - to be believable, trustworthy and reliable

Common misconception

Placing ambiguous, short questions with direct address at the end of sentences is an effective rhetorical question. For example: Do you?/Don't you agree?

Think about the purpose of a rhetorical question and why we use them. Is this the best way to challenge and provoke thought or get a reaction from your audience?

Use your knowledge of your pupils to adapt the statements in Task A. You may wish to choose topics that are more relevant or interesting to your pupils.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is an example of a persuasive speech topic?
The history of video games
Correct answer: The benefits of recycling
How to bake a cake
Different types of clouds
Q2.
What device is being used in this sentence: "more than 300 million [people] do not have access to the internet"?
Correct Answer: statistic, statistics, a statistic
Q3.
Which rhetorical device involves using a question to make a point, rather than to elicit an answer?
call to action
Correct answer: rhetorical question
direct address
anaphora
Q4.
Match the sentence type to the example.
Correct Answer:declarative,It will end in our life time.

It will end in our life time.

Correct Answer:interrogative,What have any of them done to deserve this?

What have any of them done to deserve this?

Correct Answer:imperative,We have to find it, stop it, and end it.

We have to find it, stop it, and end it.

Q5.
How does the use of personal anecdote contribute to persuasive writing?
It distracts the audience from the main argument.
It undermines the credibility of the author.
Correct answer: It adds a personal touch and creates a connection with the audience.
It confuses the audience with irrelevant details.
Q6.
When writers use personal anecdotes it can create a with the audience. What word beginning with 'r' could complete this sentence?
Correct Answer: rapport

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following best describes the impact of using facts and statistics in a speech?
They can make the speech more entertaining.
Correct answer: They can make the speech sound more authoritative and credible.
They can make the speech longer and more tedious.
They can make the speech less believable and persuasive.
Q2.
When using statistics, they should be realistic and . Which word beginning with 'p' could complete this sentence?
Correct Answer: plausible, probable
Q3.
Which of these is the most realistic and credible use of statistics?
250% of social media users agree.
The continued development of green spaces has increased by 10,000%.
Over one billion young people agree that something needs to be done.
Correct answer: 29% of young people do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a day.
Q4.
Which one of these answers does not contribute to an effective use of rhetorical questions?
They should use direct address.
They should not over use the personal pronoun "you".
Correct answer: They should be used more than once, in quick succession.
They should be relevant to the argument.
Q5.
Which one of these rhetorical questions uses a subordinate clause to address the audience?
Don't you agree?
Correct answer: As leaders, shouldn't you be creating better policies?
Have you considered what happens next?
Why would we continue to develop a better plan?
Q6.
What makes this rhetorical question less effective: "58% of teens have experienced cyberbullying. Can you believe it? Don’t you want to act."?
Correct answer: too general
unrealistic use of statistics
Correct answer: questions used in quick succession
Correct answer: over use of personal pronoun "you"
incorrect punctuation